Angel Apprentice
by Redsinky
Summary: In which secrets and lies revolve around the family. One for protection, the other for ignorance and perhaps a bit of a vendetta.
1. chapter 1

**Ao no Exorcist**

In which secrets and lies revolve around the family. One for protection, the other for ignorance and perhaps a bit of a vendetta.

Rin Okumura is not ignorant of the world revolving around him. He ignores the secret meetings of his brother and adoptive father, of whispers between the clergymen, and of the things which cannot be seen. He pushes the hurt of being left out and plasters smiles and fists to the world. And when he has a secret, it's not like it's the first he has kept. No one asks, and no one would believe him.

He is Rin Okumura, elder twin brother to Yukio, and he is also the apprentice of a reluctant Angel.

Arthur Auguste Angel was never inclined to take on a student, even if he was the best. He didn't want to teach them, requiring patience and understanding, none of which he had any desire to waste on. His goal is Paladin, having an apprentice was a baggage he did not want. Until he was given an ultimatum: no apprentice, no paladin. The council wanted him to pass his skills onto newer generations, like the current Paladin, but the exwires he had come across did not meet to his standards. He did not want a kiss-ass, someone who would report to the council without hesitation, who was all talk and no action. He didn't choose an apprentice, he'd get the seat through skill and stubborn determination.

Apprentice? What a load of bull.


	2. The Angel

**Story 2 Concept#1 ch 1**

Early on in his life, Rin Okumura had developed a skill, one he used twenty-four/seven - it had become second nature. The skill of ignoring.

He ignored the whispers following him, the glares, the pointed fingers, and the most hurtful of all, the secret meetings in his family that excluded him. The one thing his skill was driven on was the shadows - shadows containing monsters crawling out from the pits of nightmares; if he ignored them, pretended they were not there, they ignored him too, and as long as they do, Rin Okumura would not feel scared - he needed to be the strong one, he's the eldest, the shield for his younger brother, and if he's scared, Yukio would notice, cry and be scared too. It was not what Rin wanted to do to his younger brother - he would punch those who would.

 _"See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil, and evil shall not be there - unless it concerns his brother."_

The first time he saw the figure, Rin thought it was a foreign woman - her golden locks fluttering around her she fought while he hid in a crate. The second time he saw her, Rin had fallen off a building from the fight and she jumped to rescue him. It was in that moment, he noticed the lack of soft lumps on her chest - like the ones he found in his dad's "special" magazine hidden under his bed.

The third, and fourth times they met, Rin hid in a dumpster in an alley, the man always knowing he was there. The fifth time they met, it was the man finding a six-and-a-half year-old boy wrestling with a lower class demon.

There were some days, Rin's ignoring skill would not work - those were the days of the young child trying, and mostly failing, but surviving, to fight off the monsters off of him. Weirdly, a few of those monsters Rin could understand, they were the ones he avoided the best he could. To be able to understand the language of monsters was not something the child would consider cool. No, it was absolutely terrifying. The prospect of him being in any relation to monsters was something he tried to not acknowledge.

'Why is it always you?' The exasperation in the man's voice clear as the cloudless sky, sounded almost like a complain, after he exorcised the demon.

Rin glared at him, 'It's not my fault,' was the child's petulant put.

The man rolled his eyes, 'Four times, boy,' he pointed out.

'Five, actually,' Rin corrected, 'the first time I was in a crate, and I thought you were a girl.'

An eyebrow twitched, but he ignored the child's statement, 'What do you do when confronted with these things?'

Rin tilted his head, 'Ignore them,' he shrugged. It worked before, sometimes, but it was enough.

The man snorted elegantly, somehow - Rin had no idea that was possible, what the heck?

'They can't,' the man stated otherwise as he tossed his long,(girly) blonde hair over his shoulder and dusted some imaginary monster germ off his clothes - the man was weird, Rin thought, staring at the stranger.

He shot the man a look of confusion, 'What do you mean, "they can't"?'

The man gazed at the boy, eyes drilling into his head as if trying to understand why it was obvious to anyone, but him. 'It means,' the man sighed, 'That because of your wrestling match today, other demons have the instinct that tell them that you know them now, and, well, eat little ignorant boys like you,' The man smirked lazily with a soft-flowing shrug.

It's not like it was the first time, Rin commented in his head, not that the man needed to know. He stared down at his hands, the scrapes across his skin, the bruises and other grime of the alley. 'Why can't I just use my fist?'

Golden man raised an equally golden eyebrow, mocking in his gaze, condescending in his tone.

Rin grumbled, scowling at the ground, and slowly a grin formed in his young mind. 'Why don't you teach me?'

There wasn't even a full second when the man's reply came, a resounding 'No.'

Rin jumped from his crouched position, 'What!? Why?!!'

The man's eyes narrowed, 'You're just baggage holding me back from my ambition.'

In his position, children were annoyances in his eyes, perhaps occasionally providing amusement, but his opinion on students or children would not change.

The child scowled, 'Well it's not like I could go to a stranger and ask to destroy monsters!' He snarled.

The man pointed his nose in the air, a smirk still on his face. 'That's not my problem,' he declared and turned around.

Rin stomped his foot, 'Fine!' He too turned to face the other way, intending to go home and punch his pillow. 'It's not like you have a heart at all when I do die because I didn't know how to kill it!'

'One death will not destroy everything.' He heard the man say.

Rin didn't turn to look at the man, because if he did, the urge to throw something at the golden head, was irresistible. 'One death today, another tomorrow, until it piles up and then destroys something,' raising his voice so that the selfish man would hear him, even across the alley, 'Something, that your attitude would do the deed; you would be indirectly killing innocent people in the end.'

He was frozen mid-step at the dark, heavy aura emanating from behind him, a glint of silver by his jugular. 'Where did you hear that?' The man hissed by his ear.

Rin ignored the blade as best as he could and turned around, 'I read manga,' he smirked.

The moment passed and they glared at each other, until the man pulled his blade away, nodding. He grabbed Rin's arm and dragged him away.

By the setting sun, shadows looked heavier, and a back, crowned by gold encompassed the space in front of Rin.

'My name is Arthur Auguste Angel,' all heated anger gone from his voice, 'I am currently a Middle-First-Class Exorcist.'

Rin scrunched his face, 'Did you really need a girly name?'

Golden head turned to face the child, a smirk playing on his lips, 'You'll just need to match me, Gabrielle.'

Rin's eyes widened, 'My name is Rin!' His name was already part girly, he didn't need another one!

The man's smirk grew wider, 'You're my apprentice now. Take it, or leave.'

Rin gritted his teeth.


	3. Expect the Devil in Disguise

**Story 2 Concept#1 ch 2**

 ** _Expect the Devil in Disguise_**

In the end, they didn't get to do anything, as Arthur received a call and left Rin in the middle of the town centre, with a message to meet up in three days at the place they last met.

Rin scowled at the ground despite the excitement bubbling inside him - why did he have to have a girly name to train under a golden, girly man?!

It was unfair, but he needed to train if he wanted to survive - to protect his ignorant family from demons. He shoved his hands in his pocket, kept an eye at the corners of his vision of any demon deciding to target him, and grumbled the rest of the way home.

Luckily for him, the only demons were dust bunny clouds with eyes.

He arrived at home, his brother waiting on the steps of the monastery. Teal eyes roamed over Rin's form, noting the bruises and scratches on his person.

'Nii-san, did you get into another fight?' Yukio hurried up to his older brother and pulled him inside.

Rin laughed sheepishly, technically the accusation was the truth, it just wasn't with a human.

'Dad's going to be mad...' Yukio began on his rant, leaving Rin to try to pay attention, though his mind was elsewhere. Three days - he had three days to meet up with his teacher, his new exorcist teacher. A grin began to form on his lips, Yukio side-eyeing his brother's expression and then proceeded to add another lecture of warning.

His grin dropped when he remembered that Arthur .Didn't. Give. Him. A. Time. His lips formed into a scowl when he was reminded -by his ever zealous brother- that he had school on that day.

Three days later, Rin decided he'd meet up with the man after school, if possible, straight after it, but, as usual, he was forced to stay behind with the teacher.

It wasn't his fault! No one should bully his brother without consequences! Rin glared at the back of one of the bullies, and gritted his teeth.

'Rin-san,' the teacher called out, grabbing his attention, 'you shouldn't hit other people.'

Rin narrowed his eyes at the adult, 'Tell that to those bullies!'

The teacher grimaced, giving him a gentle admonishing look, 'I will, but, if it happens again, please tell a teacher.'

Rin didn't comment, but scowled at the ground, his arms crossed.

'I've called your father-'

At this, his head snapped up, eyes widening and heart constricting tightly. His dad wouldn't be mad, but his disappointed gaze pierced through his chest - he'd regret taking a kid as troublesome as he was, even after he had made a promise to not hit anyone. Tears began to spring up in his eyes, his ears a buzz, he couldn't even hear the teacher talk anymore. Everything was numb.

He was a disappointment. A man who wouldn't keep his word. He was a failure.

No!

He shook his head, rubbing his eyes. No, Yukio needed him, wanted him. He was his younger twin, he was needed, right?

By the time he calmed down, Rin realised he wasn't at school anymore. He was at the meeting place with Arthur watching him from his position.

'Why are you crying?'

'I'm not crying!' He sniffed, 'I just had water in my eyes.'

Arthur raised a golden brow, 'Follow me,' ignoring the crying boy, and turned around, 'we will discuss your apprenticeship somewhere private.'

Rin scrambled to follow, his fist clenched. He watched as the blond man walked purposefully to a door, stuck a key inside, and stepped with one foot in, his head turned to the boy.

'Well?'

Rin ran up to him, following the man inside, stared and gaping at the view. Floor to ceiling windows replaced what wall was left; white-yellow accents decorated the room; a long couch and four armchairs surrounded a coffee table above a soft, yellow carpet; four large bookshelves filled with books of all kinds, a few indoor plants, and a vase of pink-white roses on the coffee table. In a daze, Rin followed Arthur to sit down on one of the armchairs, and squeaked as he sank in.

Arthur watched emotionlessly.

'First, I will ask you some questions, and you will answer them - to the best of your less than stellar comprehension skills,' he muttered the last part under his breath.

He waited for the boy to nod and leant forward, his chin resting on his intertwined fingers, 'Does anyone in your family see demons?'

'No.' Rin wouldn't be there if they had, he was sure his family would help train him survive against those demons.

'Are any of them Exorcist?'

Rin gave the blond a look, as if contemplating if he had forgotten his first question. When he received no reaction, he replied with a negative.

'Do you want to tell them?'

'N-' Rin hesitated , his eyes darting from place to place, flashes of their smiling faces and laughter echoed in his head. 'No,' he finished more firmly. Not if Rin had any say or action in it. He would do his best to keep them as far away from the dark, secret fights going on in the world.

Arthur stared at him, his gaze digging into his soul, judging, weighing, 'Are you a half-demon?'

Rin blinked, an incredulous expression on his face. Does he look like one to him?

Arthur stared him down.

Rin glared, 'No.'

The immediate 'You lie!' Was unexpected, and wholly unwelcomed. Was the man blind?!

His denial only seemed to egg the blond more.

'Your strength is abnormal at your age - being able to wrestle demons bare-handed is not unheard of in halflings.' The man snarled, a cold glint in his eyes.

Ignoring the shiver going down his spine, Rin shook his head, fists clenched in his shirt, 'I didn't know!' He cried, a brand new water work starting, 'I didn't know. I'm not-I'm not a- I'm not a demon!'

Sharp, jagged eyes stared at the curled child, his fingers twitching to his weapons. 'My duty, is to kill demons,' he stated coldly, 'Halfing or not.'

Rin tensed.

'If I see any demonic influenced behaviour, I will end you.' Arthur declared, forcefully staying his hand. He got up, walked to the child, gripping his chin, and pulled him close, not caring of the shakes and tears, 'Do you understand?'

The demon halfling nodded.

He let go, wiping his hand on his pants and went back to his seat. 'I am your master, not your teacher. You will obey me, answer to me, and carry your own weight. You will not question me. If you follow this, I will spare your life.'

Rin wipes his eyes, hands trembling at the effort. The atmosphere was choking him, weighing down on his young body - he wanted to run away and hide, safe from the man that had been given the wrong name at birth, but, it was too late for him. He was at the man's most advantaged field, at his very experienced hand, and only mercy was keeping Rin's life in the world. He swallowed, 'I will follow your instructions,' his voice shaky.

A harsh, winter smile appeared on the man's lips. 'My ambition is to become the best. To be The Paladin. I do not need, or want, a burden, a baggage, or a helpless, stupid, ignorant, pathetic idiot.

Rin flinched.

'It cannot be helped in the beginning,' he sighed, as if the world just gave him a pile of trash to clean up. 'I will hold your pathetic hands at the start of your apprenticeship, but afterwards, you will carry your own weight. If your academically stupid, I will force you to be smart.' He gave a long, hard look at the wince from the child. 'I do not want laziness, or excuses. The only period were you do not train is when you land your halfing-self in the hospital. If you are weak, a waste of my very, valuable time, I will destroy you.' The thought had a twisted smile appear on the blond's face.

Rin did not want to know.

'You will learn respect and manners for everyone you interact with. I will tame your temper, drill you patience, and bludgeon your head with knowledge. I despise mess, and you will clean it all. Capiche?'

Rin nodded, if had denied the man, the boy was sure his head would fly before he took another breath.

Arthur twitched, 'Answer me verbally!'

'Yes sir!'

'It's master to you!'

'Yes Master!'

The man nodded, 'Now, your training will begin once everyone in your household is asleep between nine or eleven. You will meet me at the place you me with me today. I will give you a key; your instructions will be on the coffee table if I am not there. Training will finish at six in the evening in this time zone, three breaks through it all.' The man rolled his shoulder. 'Lastly, you said you didn't want your family to know,' he waited for the boy's nod, 'keep your word,' he warned with narrowed eyes, 'only monsters break their word, understood?'

Rin paled, he had broken his word before! He gulped the panic down, 'Yes Master.'

'Good,' He nodded once, walked back to the entrance and use the key. 'You may leave.'

The unspoken disgust of a demon lingering in his home floated between them.

Rin ignored it. He hurried to his exit, body trembling, and bade his farewell.

Arthur observed as the bulging scurried away, a smirk on his lips. 'Let's see you survive, Gabrielle,' and he closed the door.

A/N: Wrote all this on the phone, and now my thumbs are sore.


	4. The First Day and Everything After

**Chapter: The First Day** _& Everything after_

Rin's first lesson began in a brightly lit clearing located at the basement of Angel's home. At the circumference a large circle was drawn, six smaller circles branched outside of the large circle -the lines made from letterings Rin had yet to understand.

The outfit he would be using for training -courtesy of Angel's "fashionable demands"- included a long grey tunic that reached mid-thigh split on the side for ease of movement, a black belt tied around his hips, loose, black, leather pants and a grey-black combat boots that had Rin struggling to move from its weight alone. When he had asked why, Arthur had replied that it would aide training his speed and added with a sneer that he would add more weight to it every time Rin was able to move efficiently.

The six-year-old boy stood in the centre of the large circle waiting for his instructions -he had to fight down the urge to yell for the man to hurry up, still shaken from last night's ordeal.

Arthur August Angel stood on a high platform giving him a clear view of his basement, a control screen in front of him absentmindedly scrolling down the articles on his tablet as he watched the boy fidget with blank eyes.

'Your first lesson is to know the basics of lower-class demons – their names, features and differences,' his voice echoing in the room and as he spoke, a demon appeared in one of the six circles – its appearance was of an abnormal plant, giant green leaves, vines and a purple centre in the shape of a moth, its upper-wings had eyes surrounded by black-magenta outline.

Rin's heart jumped to his throat, subconsciously stepping back, the flower-moth-thing taking a step forward. Surrounding him, the voice of his master filtered to his ears,

'That is a Dekalp. It is a low-level demon ruled over by Amaimon, Demon King of Earth.' Arthur pressed a button on the controls and another demon appeared, this tie, its appearance was that of a rock with an angry face. 'That is a Bariyon, ruled over by Amaimon.' The rock demon didn't move, luckily for Rin since he had most of his attention on the first demon, though it didn't remain that way for long, when Arthur began summoning demons with hardly any time for Rin to process the information.

'A greenman, a goblin, hobogoblin…'

Rin stared wide-eyed as more earth and plant demons appeared – the more aggressive once stepping closer to him.

Arthur smirked at the scene, 'I will lower the barrier of one demon, and they will attack you.'

The boy paled.

'Dodge or die,' was his encouraging tip, 'whilst you do that I want you to tell me out loud who and what the demon is.' He pressed another button, one circle glowing gold-green. 'Begin,' Arthur commanded.

The area was soon filled with a child's scream.

On the first break after three hours was a ten-minute breather for the six-year-old, followed by two hours of basic French lessons. It wasn't a normal language lesson either. Arthur would lecture around three to five minutes then demand Rin to recite back. If his pronunciation or context was wrong Arthur would throw cutlery knives at him forcing Rin dodge and restart again. The last fifteen minutes of that last lesson had the boy forget a whole passage in French and as punishment, Arthur tied him up on a large wheel, threw holy water just above touching him and waited for gravity to do its work. In his screams, his master demanded Rin to apologise in French and recite the passage he forgot.

By the start of the second break, Rin was never able to forget the French passage or how to apologise in different ways in French. He had a thirty-minute break for a light snack, but Rin was only six and hungry enough to ignore it that he ate until he was full.

The first thirty-minute had Arthur teach Rin to be flexible, contorting his body to twist out of the way of low-class demons. The last hour had the boy facing his first obstacle course, minimal information provided and the command to complete it before the timer goes off or be doused with holy water from the sprinkles above him.

Sick from too much food, tired and sore from his previous lessons, Rin couldn't finish the course in time and was unpleasantly doused with holy water. He cried, he screamed, he begged for his master to stop, but Angle just watched him with cold eyes and a colder smile.

'Finish it.' Arthur ordered, not letting up the sprinkles.

Rin crossed the finish line after thirty-minutes and collapsed, his skin sizzling with acidic burns, his muscles twitching when the damnable water seeped into his open wounds.

Arthur walked towards his apprentice, his polished shoes slapping against the puddles and picked the slightly conscious boy up. He dumped the halfling in the prepared tub filled with normal, warm water, scented in lavender and let him soak whilst he gathered the materials needed.

Rin woke when he was suddenly picked up from the water, his eyes fluttering blearily at the golden strands falling like a curtain near his face, He tilted his head up, his eyes catching the sky-blue of his master's emotionless eyes. By the time he snapped back into reality, he was already dressed and was gently guided to a door.

His master twisted the key, opening it and guided Rin out by a gentle grip on his shoulder. He watched as Arthur fiddled with a leather string and blinked owlishly when it was handed to him.

'I'll see you tomorrow,' Arthur nodded to Rin once the boy accepted the gift with confusion, and without another word, he walked back to the door they had come from.

Rin looked down at the gift, a key -like Arthur's- tied up to a leather strap connecting to the key again. Rin grinned and put the necklace on. Despite his hurt, and the terrifying first lessons, he was given a reward for the first time by a teacher. Rin felt himself tear up, shook his head to get rid of it, a bubbling determination rushed through his system and ran home happy.

When he ran past a shop indicating the current time, his happy mood was replaced by horror. It was eight o'clock! By the time he had gotten to the monastery, grabbed his school belongings, snatched a jam toast and headed to school with his brother it was already twenty past eight. At eight-twenty-five he made it to class at the warning bell, sat on his seat and collapsed exhausted, wearily assuring his little brother that he was okay.

It was through sheer will and stubbornness alone that he was able to stay awake throughout school. He needed to be at least alert to watch out for his brother's bullies to protect Yukio – matter how tired he was, or how hurt, or disadvantaged, he would always be his brother's, his family's protector. The first line of defence before anything else.

He was still sore to put a physical fight, but when the bullies began to taunt each other to pick on his brother, he threw the closest item -a small, indoor potted plant- right in front of their path.

Yukio barely flinched, the bullies screaming in fright and traced the path the broken potted plant came from – two floors up, and leaning on his arms against the window pane, Rin glared in warning.

'I won't miss next time,' he hissed, watching in satisfaction as they scattered.

Yukio stared up to his brother, 'Nii-san…' he sighed.

Rin smiled, 'I didn't hit them,' he cheered toothily.

'You broke a potted plant,' his little brother deadpanned as he adjusted his glasses.

'OKUMURA RIN!'

Rin pouted excessively, 'I never win,' he complained and futilely tried to blend in with his surroundings.

A/N: Making Angel cruel now, he'll get his character development sometime later. This chapter also had summaries of his first few months with Angel, but it's written not typed up on the computer. There might also be errors since I did type it up whilst sick.


End file.
